The 2024 offseason is in full swing, and as the Denver Broncos make preparations to potentially move on from quarterback Russell Wilson, everyone is going to be wondering what direction they go at that position. Understandably so. This Denver Broncos team has been struggling to find a franchise quarterback for eight years now, and moving on from Russell Wilson would be an admission of yet another failure at the position.
So what are the options for 2024? What is realistic for this franchise?
Let's take a look at a handful of options -- both realistic and maybe some of the long shots available.
1. Kirk Cousins, Free Agent
Let's start with an option that may seem unrealistic on the surface, but you might be able to talk yourself into this being one of the most realistic when you put together a lot of the breadcrumbs we've seen this offseason.
First of all, Kirk Cousins has stated that he's not all about the cash in 2024. In terms of establishing himself a legacy financially, taking care of his family for generations to come, Cousins has done well for himself. The next $1 million he earns will put him 10th among the NFL's all-time list of highest-paid players...ever.
Cousins is content with the financial blessings he's received, or so he says. He's also reportedly gone on record as saying that he isn't going to turn down an opportunity to play for a Hall of Fame head coach should that opportunity arise. Sean Payton just so happens to be a future Hall of Fame head coach (debate a wall) who will likely be in the market for a QB this offseason.
And if it's not all about the Benjamins for Kirk Cousins, then the Broncos might be the right fit. Sean Payton would probably love to have a passer like Cousins operating his offense, and perhaps the allure of playing for Payton would cause Cousins to take less money to come to Denver, where there are obviously significant financial hurdles due to the Russell Wilson situation.
I would have thought this was impossible a month ago, but Cousins -- coming off of a serious injury -- could perhaps be within the realm of realism for Denver.
2. Jimmy Garoppolo, Cut Candidate
This would not likely be the first choice of everyone in Broncos Country, but neither was Joe Flacco back in the 2019 offseason when the Denver Broncos acquired him in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Ravens.
Nobody wanted that deal to happen, yet for some reason, no one was surprised by it, either.
Teams often don't make the decisions the fans want to make, as crazy as that may be to hear. Sometimes the fans and team are in harmony, and other times, the team zigs while the fan base zags. That's just the nature of the beast.
And Jimmy Garoppolo has long been a polarizing player. He has had a lot of success through the years in the NFL, and personally, I think you could do a lot worse than this. The circumstances weren't ideal in Las Vegas this past year, to say the least, but Jimmy played worse than expected, and he'll likely find himself as a salary cap casualty this offseason.
As much as the fan base might hate it, I could see Sean Payton making this move in 2024. Payton and Garoppolo are two of the most notable alumni of Eastern Illinois University, the same college that produced legendary Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan and former Cowboys QB Tony Romo.
Romo, by the way, was discovered coming out of Eastern Illinois by Payton himself.
Could that Eastern Illinois connection come into play? Although he's imperfect, Garoppolo is the type of accurate "point guard" at the QB position that could help this Sean Payton offense flow into the playoffs, even if it's a short-term investment.
3. Baker Mayfield, Free Agent
Talking about the Broncos potentially acquiring the likes of Kirk Cousins and Baker Mayfield with Jimmy Garoppolo changing teams...What is this, the 2018 offseason?
The Broncos missed out on all of the good quarterbacks back in that pivotal 2018 offseason, instead choosing to buy the Case Keenum hype. Ah, good times.
Baker Mayfield is slated for free agency once again in 2024, and now that the Broncos have passed on him a variety of times, surely they won't make the same mistake again, right?
Well, it might not be that simple. Everyone assumes that Mayfield going back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a foregone conclusion, and perhaps rightfully so. But if he hits the open market, this would be something the Broncos should at least explore. Mayfield may have priced himself out of Denver's range, unfortunately, but where there is motivation between the team and the player, you never know what could happen.
I like the idea of Mayfield operating Sean Payton's offense, and Payton has seemingly been a fan of Mayfield in the past. I would categorize this as very much a "longshot" option, but if Mayfield hits free agency, the Broncos would be foolish not to at least give his agent a call.
4. Justin Fields, Trade Candidate
Considering the fact that Sean Payton seemed to value a quarterback playing within the structure of his offense enough to bench Russell Wilson late last season, perhaps the idea of Justin Fields is just something we should mention in passing.
The Broncos had the chance to draft Justin Fields back in the 2021 season, but they opted to pass on him in favor of Pat Surtain II. Now, the Chicago Bears – who traded up to get Fields – face a huge decision of whether or not to keep Fields and continue building around him entering his fourth season, or move on and take Caleb Williams with the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The way things are going currently, it seems like the Bears will ultimately go with Caleb Williams, meaning Justin Fields could go to the highest bidder in a trade.
Would the Broncos be interested in potentially acquiring him? The talent is there with Fields. He’s a dynamic weapon offensively who has run all over opposing defenses despite his slower development as an NFL passer, but we saw him take maybe his biggest strides there in 2023 compared to any other point in his career so far.
It just doesn’t feel like this is the likely route for the Denver Broncos in 2024. Not with Russell Wilson getting benched at the end of the year in favor of a more traditional pocket passer. I think Sean Payton would value having a dynamic option at QB, but not someone who is as reliant on his running as Justin Fields.
5. Bo Nix, NFL Draft
One of the most interesting options for the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft class is Oregon Ducks signal-caller Bo Nix.
Nix is one of the most decorated passers in this year’s class, and even though his collegiate career got off to a rocky start at Auburn, he finished by putting some incredible numbers up as a member of the Oregon Ducks.
The 2023 PAC 12 Offensive Player of the Year had a whopping 45 touchdown passes this past season compared to just three interceptions. He completed 77.4 percent of his throws and was outstanding when under pressure as well as on the money downs.
Nix is also a dynamic option with his legs, racking up 20 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons.
When you look at his mental makeup, his experience, his accuracy, the ability to push the ball to every level of the field, and his athleticism, there’s very little not to like about Bo Nix as a prospect. Sure, he will be a little bit older coming out, but the on-field development he’s had over the last handful of years has made it worth the wait.
Nix could very well be available to the Denver Broncos with the 12th overall pick, and I would hope they would strongly consider him there.
6. Michael Penix Jr., NFL Draft
One of the more polarizing prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class is Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
I still remember watching Penix as the quarterback of the Indiana Hoosiers a few years back, wondering how in the world the guy got a scholarship to play D1 football. Fast forward a handful of years later, and Penix is a potential first-round draft pick after he transferred to Washington and became an absolute star.
Penix had the Huskies and their stellar group of receivers in the National Championship Game this past season, but his body of work has been phenomenal even besides just the 2023 season. In two seasons at Washington, he threw for over 9,500 yards and 67 touchdowns.
Penix has done a good job throwing with accuracy, anticipation, under duress, and perhaps most importantly, he has done a great job of going through progressions and spreading the ball all over the field.
The biggest question marks with Penix include his injury history with multiple shoulder injuries, multiple major knee injuries, and a variety of other dings along the way. Will that push his stock out of the first round? Are the Broncos going to take the risk on an older prospect in round one with an extensive injury history? The pre-draft medical evaluations on Penix will be huge.
Ultimately, he seems like the type of person an NFL team could fall in love with as a potential franchise QB.
7. Jacoby Brissett, Free Agent
Another player about to hit free agency is veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett, who has started a lot of games in the league for a number of teams, including the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns.
The last time we saw Brissett as a season-long starter was in 2022 with Cleveland, and he did a pretty solid job all things considered, completing 64 percent of his passes in the 11 games he was given while holding the fort down for Deshaun Watson.
Brissett may not be the most exciting option, but he’s a solid veteran who could give you a decent “floor” at the position. You know what you’re getting from him. He’s played a lot of games. He’s got experience running a variety of offenses at this point.
The unfortunate aspect of this potential option is that Jacoby Brissett doesn’t offer the highest ceiling. He’s going to be 32 this season. I would think the addition of a player like Brissett would almost automatically have to come with a substantial NFL Draft investment at the position as well, so perhaps you could pick him to pair with one of the two first-round options on this list.